1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to drums and similar musical instruments and, more particularly, to a head for a drum and a method for improving the sound and appearance of the drumhead.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drumheads of various types and materials are well-known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,782 to Harty contains an informative discussion on the subject. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,091,248 and 5,581,044 to Belli are also pertinent to the technology.
Laminated drumheads, which are comprised generally of adhesively bonded sheets of synthetic fabric and plastic materials, are employed largely in conjunction with tom-toms and snares. Rarely are laminated heads used to produce a timpani drum, which is used primarily in an orchestral setting often joined by over one hundred other string, wind and percussion instruments. The laminate head simply does not produce the degree and quality of resonance and warm, rich and full sound required of a drum of this type in a symphonic setting.
Timpani heads are usually comprised either of a single plastic sheet material, such as MYLAR.RTM., or ideally of a natural animal skin. A timpani head must vibrate sufficiently to produce the quality and volume of sound required to be an effective percussion instrument in a large orchestra. Plastic heads have their drawbacks as they do not resonate sufficiently or produce a full enough sound to perform at optimum levels in an orchestral setting. These heads are not susceptible to proper pitch control and consistently suffer from sound decay. They also have a characteristic plastic or "clicking" sound that many musicians, particularly timpanists, find distracting and unappealing. Laminate drumheads, principally because of the nature and complexity of their double layered construction, simply do not vibrate or resonate adequately enough to produce the desired timpani sound. They act as a poor substitute for a natural animal skin head.
Plastic drumheads may also include slightly roughened surfaces. But these surfaces constitute only mere umperfections in the material. These slight projections and depressions, when they appear, are inherent in the material and are not placed there intentionally for the purpose of achieving a specific look or sound.
In the rare instance where a drumhead surface is intentionally given some degree of texture, it occurs for the sole purpose of enabling the drummer to produce a shuffling or scratchy sound as the drumstick or brush is made to move along the head surface. Improved sound quality or appearance, such as a more natural look, is not the objective in these instances.
Absolutely nothing in the prior art has succeeded in creating a synthetic head to ideally match the sound qualities and appearance of a natural skin. Animal skins produce a more sophisticated, resonant sound, particularly in the lower ranges, which drummers of all disciplines generally prefer. The sounds are rich and warm and decidedly focused and the pitch is more centered. Pitch control is much easier with drumheads fashioned from animal skin. However, animal skins are much more costly than synthetic heads. Skins also have a tendency to absorb moisture, which can have a dramatically negative effect on the quality of the sound and the pitch produced by the drumhead. Depending on the climate, the humidity condition(s) and the extent of any moisture absorbed by the head, the sound generated by a head comprised of natural skin will differ from one location to another, often substantially.
The present invention solves the foregoing problems in the prior art by employing a relatively less expensive head comprised of only a single sheet of plastic material, which is fashioned carefully to produce a head that has the look and sound of a head made from a genuine skin. The plastic sheet material employed by the present invention is roughened up on both sides with various grits of sandpaper or emery cloth to control the depth and breadth of the texture and then coated with a resin. The resin coats the surfaces of the head and collects in the scratched and gouged areas produced by the sanding process. The areas where the resin collects tend to produce shades with varying intensity, giving the head the characteristics and appearance of an authentic skin. The improved head produces more resonance and has significantly more overtones than anything preceding it in the prior art. It also has the appearance of a genuine animal skin without any of the major disadvantages. A method of manufacture of the improved drumhead is also provided.